Multiple Children Injured In Salinas Big Rig Truck Accident Along Highway 101 By Hartnell Road
SALINAS, CALIFORNIA (March 29, 2022) – Three children ages 3, 8 and 11 were injured in a Salinas truck accident along Highway 101 near Hartnell Road.
Monterey County police officials are saying that the collision took place on Monday morning. A sedan collided with a big rig truck that was making an illegal U-turn in the roadway.
Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene of the collision in order to help all of the victims. All three children in the sedan were extracted and airlifted to a hospital in the Bay Area.
The children’s mother was taken to a hospital in Salinas. Police officers interviewed the driver of the semi-truck who remained at the scene following the crash.
It remains unclear if the truck driver will face any consequences for making the illegal U-turn prior to the crash.
Liability In Monterey County Truck Accidents
Trucks are especially dangerous to those in passenger vehicles. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), in 2019 alone 4,119 people were killed in collisions with large trucks. Roughly two thirds of the victims were in passenger vehicles and 15% were pedestrians. One of the things that makes commercial trucks so dangerous is that they have high centers of gravity making underride collisions more likely. It’s common for the tops of sedans to be nearly sheered off as they impact the back or sides of trucks. There are many steps that truck drivers should take in order to help prevent collisions.
- Truck drivers should receive adequate training for their specific rigs.
- Truck drivers should get adequate rest before the start of every shift.
- Truck drivers must abstain from alcohol or other substances that could impair them.
- Truck drivers should plan their routes ahead of time.
Truck drivers must get a commercial driver’s license (CDL) and are held to a high standard in terms of safety. They must exercise due care in order to avoid causing accidents. This is especially true when truck drivers are making turns. Turns are the most dangerous maneuvers for large trucks for a couple of reasons. Trucks have large blind spots that can obscure the presence of smaller vehicles. They also have a wide turning radius. It takes much longer to successfully turn a truck than a smaller vehicle.
If a truck driver makes an unprotected left turn or U-turn, they could face liability if they are involved in a crash. Pursuant to California Vehicle Code 21801, “The driver of a vehicle intending to turn to the left or to complete a U-turn upon a highway, or to turn left into public or private property, or an alley, shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching from the opposite direction which are close enough to constitute a hazard at any time during the turning movement.” Many collisions occur when truck drivers simply aren’t paying enough attention to the road ahead of them.
In the case where a truck driver causes an accident by making an illegal U-turn, such a statutory violation may be considered negligent per se. What this means is that the conduct will automatically be considered negligent and plaintiffs will not need to demonstrate that the defendant acted negligently. Moreover, the company that a truck driver was working for could be vicariously liable for a crash – provided that the truck driver was (a) an employee and (b) working within the course and scope of their job duties. Victims of truck accidents tend to suffer very serious and costly injuries including:
- Broken bones
- Head injuries
- Lacerations
- Spinal cord injuries
- Organ damage
The FMCSA requires commercial trucks to carry between $750,000 – $5,000,000 in liability coverage. Many victims often don’t realize the full extent of their injuries for several weeks or months after any accident. Any person that is injured may be able to seek aid through a bodily injury claim. Damages can help cover lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering. The average cost of an air ambulance alone is estimated at $24,507 for 2020. A truck accident attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are.
Investigating A Monterey County Truck Accident
We at TorkLaw extend our best wishes to the mother and children injured in this horrific and preventable collision. There needs to be some accountability on the part of the truck driver that made the illegal U-turn. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to police.
Have you or someone that you care about been injured in a Salinas truck accident? Our team of truck accident attorneys are here to answer any legal questions that you may have. We care deeply that accident victims get the medical and financial support that they need to recover. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into a collision we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (888) 441-4991.
